It was a question he had never brought up before. Though his tone was calm, Haeyoung couldn’t answer right away at this first question he’d posed. Seonwoo’s head tilted slightly as he waited for a response. The gaze examining his hesitation was affectionate.
Even without his question, it was true that Haeyoung had been troubled about who to send a message to today. After briefly gathering his thoughts, Haeyoung answered with furrowed brows.
“I’m not sure.”
“Is there no one you want to send it to?”
Without even a moment to catch his breath, another question came. At that question, his head, which had been facing downward as he pondered who to text, reflexively lifted. Meeting the eyes watching him, Haeyoung suddenly recalled the day he first received the message.
Did he know that from then until now, there had only been one name he wanted to write? He probably knew. He’d always liked to ask directly, wanting to hear it with his own ears even when he already knew the answer. And when faced with such questions, Haeyoung always gave the correct answer.
“…There is.”
With his lips curved crookedly, he answered while brushing his eyebrows.
Since they were both watching each other, their gazes met seamlessly in the air. The conversation was sufficient with just eye contact alone. It was Haeyoung who broke the silence and spoke first.
“I’ll go change. Hyung, go out first.”
“Alright.”
Cha Seonwoo nodded saying he understood, but then followed him into the dressing room. Seeing him squeeze into the not-so-spacious room and stand beside him, Haeyoung let out a small chuckle.
Perhaps because they mainly changed clothes here, there was no camera installed inside the dressing room. However, outside the dressing room, in the hallway and in front of the vanity, cameras were installed. Just as Haeyoung was glancing outside, concerned whether those cameras’ field of vision might reach here, the scent of the perfume he’d given him wafted strongly from Seonwoo, who had come closer.
Haeyoung’s view, which had been glancing outside, was blocked by Seonwoo’s body. Even before his view was obstructed, Haeyoung, already trapped in his scent, raised his head with a crooked smile.
“I said I need to change.”
At those words, Seonwoo nodded as if telling him to go ahead and change. For a moment Haeyoung almost suspected he hadn’t understood what he’d said, but his suspicion disappeared before it could even sprout.
Yoon Haeyoung knew he wasn’t oblivious. Perhaps that’s why the soft smile hanging on Seonwoo’s lips felt particularly mischievous.
‘…He’s definitely being twisted.’
The corners of Haeyoung’s mouth looking up at him grew increasingly crooked. Putting strength into the hand that grabbed the hem of his knit, watching his face that was composed as if there was no problem, Haeyoung willingly pulled up and removed his knit without avoiding the gaze falling on him.
The last to arrive at the common area were Haeyoung and Seonwoo. Having already finished preparing to watch the movie, in the dark space only the light pouring from the beam projector brightly illuminated the wall.
On the table, several beer cans were placed again, and snacks like nachos were also set out, apparently to eat while watching the movie.
As Haeyoung looked around the table, he turned his eyes to find an empty seat on the sofa. What caught his eye then was Dain making eye contact with him. She, sitting on the sofa, timidly pointed with her hand to the seat next to her.
‘Me?’
At that, Haeyoung pointed at himself with his index finger and mouthed the question. But before Dain, who saw it, could nod, there was someone who sat in that spot first.
“……”
Seonwoo, who had settled into the sofa with a leisurely manner, raised his head. As their gazes crossed head-on, he could see him slightly closing his eyes and gesturing with his head toward the seat next to him.
Though he felt deflated for a moment at that sight, Haeyoung silently approached Seonwoo’s side. Having settled at the very end of the long sofa, Minho, who was sitting on the couch, acknowledged him.
“You’re late.”
“Sorry, I was changing.”
Haeyoung offered an excuse with a small laugh.
“We already decided among ourselves what to watch.”
“What is it?”
He asked while receiving the popcorn container Minho handed him.
“‘Last Date.’ The one with Daniel Renald.”
“Ah, I haven’t seen that.”
Along with a short exclamation, he put a still-warm piece of popcorn in his mouth. Then he picked up another piece and held it out to Seonwoo sitting next to him.
He naturally thought he’d receive it with his hand, but seeing his head tilt as it was, Haeyoung hastily withdrew his hand. The retrieved popcorn obediently went into Haeyoung’s mouth. He had almost created a scene of feeding popcorn in front of the camera.
While Haeyoung hid his flustered appearance, Seonwoo watched him with narrowed eyes.
Why, what. Looking at the gaze fixed on him, Yoon Haeyoung’s mouth moved wordlessly. But soon, he had to suppress a laugh at his lips that were jutting out.
‘This hyung really does all the cute things by himself….’
It was so absurd he wasn’t even annoyed.
Cha Seonwoo not caring about others’ gazes wasn’t just a day or two. Though he didn’t know he’d be like this even in front of cameras. Haeyoung turned his head as if dodging the gaze that wouldn’t leave him, resolving that he’d have to be more careful.
“Oh, Haeyoung, you haven’t seen this?”
“Really?”
Haeyoung nodded at Sehee’s question. Soyoon, who was next to her, widened her eyes in disbelief. Feeling awkward under the gazes pouring in, as quite a few people seemed to have already seen it, Haeyoung scratched the corner of his mouth.
“Everyone’s here, so we’ll start now.”
Sehee said, looking around at everyone who had settled into their seats.
As enthusiastic responses popped up from here and there, the screen that had been paused on the opening credits began to move. When the movie started, the noisy surroundings quieted down and everyone’s gazes fixed on the wall where the video was projected.
When he was busy, he didn’t have that leisure, but Haeyoung also liked going to the movie theater or watching movies. So even after the movie started, he immersed himself quickly, but he was helpless against accumulated fatigue. Just as Haeyoung was rubbing his eyes, feeling his eyelids growing heavier, it happened.
“Sleepy?”
A small whisper that wouldn’t reach others landed by his ear. It was Seonwoo’s familiar voice. His breath tickled, making Haeyoung’s body flinch involuntarily, and he nodded faintly.
Then a large cushion was handed to him. Haeyoung, who reflexively hugged the cushion that came into his arms, gave his attention back to the movie. He tried to stay alert, but each time he closed his eyes and barely opened them again, the movie would drop Haeyoung into completely incomprehensible scenes.
With gentle background music and the male lead’s face filling the screen as the last thing he saw, Haeyoung finally closed his eyes completely.
***
The new year dawned. On the last day of December, Haeyoung, who had fallen asleep among the people gathered for a New Year’s party, greeted the new year that arrived anticlimactically.
And he left the house to meet someone other than the cast members for the first time in a while. It was to film scenes of revealing his inner thoughts about the program while meeting a friend, and who to meet had already been decided on Hajin’s end.
The meeting place was a cafe near Daehangno.
“Yoon Haeyoung!”
Haeyoung, who had arrived first, raised his hand toward the person entering the cafe. Jeong Minjae, a college classmate, immediately showed a playful smile upon discovering him.
“I really didn’t know you’d appear on a program like this, are you debuting or something?”
“No, this is Hajin noona’s program.”
“Aha. But why didn’t noona tell me to appear too? I’ve watched all these kinds of shows.”
He tilted his head as if genuinely disappointed. Looking at those dim eyes, Haeyoung made a pitiful expression for a moment.
“Do you really not know? Noona has eyes too.”
“…I’m pissed but I have nothing to say, which pisses me off more.”
He heard Minjae was preparing for the CPA exam these days, so he wondered if he studied too much and was out of it, but recalling their college days, he was consistently out of it. At that, the pity toward him in Haeyoung’s mind quickly disappeared.
Minjae, who ordered a drink from the staff member who approached near the table, looked at Haeyoung and asked.
“But why did you call me? You… actually considered me your closest friend?”
His fish-like eyes sparkled with the light of emotion. At that gaze, Haeyoung smiled warmly and replied.
“Not that. I thought you’d be the most free.”
“I’m busy too, you know?”
Hearing the answer, Minjae protested with an offended face. And then, perhaps having finished installing the camera, a staff member approached and attached a microphone to his clothes. His face becoming calm as soon as the microphone was attached was funny, as if he was nervous or something.
As the ordered drinks came out, they received the signal that filming had started.
What should I say… Haeyoung stared blankly down at his iced americano glass, then raised his head again to look at Minjae. Though not particularly curious, he opened his mouth out of courtesy at least.
“What have you been up to lately?”
“You’re asking something you don’t even care about.”
“……”
He was stupid for thinking he might have been nervous. At the utterly uncooperative answer, Haeyoung pretended not to hear and lifted his glass to drink his coffee.
“Whatever, how is it living together there?”
“Good. The house is a palace.”
“Oh? Sounds pretty fun. Is there anyone you like?”
At Minjae’s question, Haeyoung nodded instead of answering. Then an interested look immediately appeared on his previously dim face. He somehow felt anxious at the vivid curiosity that rose in his eyes.
“Crazy, does that person have interest in you too?”
“Mm…”
Avoiding his gaze as he asked excitedly, Haeyoung hesitated with his answer. At that ambiguous reaction, Jeong Minjae became even more excited and couldn’t control the corners of his mouth that were dying to tease.
“What kind of person are they?”
What kind of person? Someone you know very well too. Looking at Minjae, Haeyoung, who pondered for a moment, answered evasively.
“Just someone who keeps catching my attention.”
“Let me guess. Older, tall, and a somewhat glamorous beauty.”
“…What are you suddenly talking about.”
“That’s your ideal type.”
“I don’t have an ideal type though?”
To Haeyoung, who spoke with slightly furrowed brows, Minjae snorted refreshingly. His face said not to talk nonsense.
“I’ve known you since you entered school, how would I not know your ideal type.”
What’s this bastard saying. If not for the microphone, he would have scoffed telling him not to say ridiculous things, but considering they were filming, Haeyoung endured. Instead, he laughed helplessly and chewed on the straw stuck in his cup.
“Why did I call you.”
At the muttering mixed with lament, Minjae threw another trivial remark at him. But Haeyoung’s thoughts had long been half-focused elsewhere. Older, tall, glamorous beauty and whatnot. Hearing the words that came from his mouth, there was a face that naturally came to mind.
…He’s not saying this knowing something, is he? It was the moment a reasonable suspicion suddenly raised its head.
